On May 1, 1865, thousands of newly freed Black people gathered in Charleston, S.C., for what may have been the nation's first Memorial Day celebration. Attendees held a parade and put flowers on the graves of Union soldiers who had helped liberate them from slavery.

While Memorial Day is often recognized as a national holiday established by white military groups, it's important to note that the first observance of Memorial Day, also known as Decoration Day, was actually initiated by African Americans in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1865, just after the Civil War.